Junta aims to complete census by end of this year

By Admin 20 Nov 2024

DMG Newsroom
20 November 2024, Mrauk-U

The military regime has completed over 63% of the nationwide census as part of preparations for the upcoming elections, junta boss Min Aung Hlaing told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The census is expected to be completed by the end of this year, he said.

"We are continuing with the process in the remaining areas as thoroughly as possible. We estimate that the census will be completed by the end of this year," said the junta leader.

He added that his regime has allowed political parties to register for the upcoming poll, urging ethnic politicians to join the political stage so that they can press demands and serve the interests of their respective regions and ethnic communities in line with the law.

Min Aung Hlaing has been pressing for a halt in the fighting as his regime has lost large swaths of territory to ethnic armed organisations, particularly in northern Myanmar and Arakan State, over the past year.

The junta boss said Tuesday that he was doing his best to bring about a credible election and parliament thereafter.

Writer Wai Hnin Aung commented: "He is trying to show the international community that he is preparing for the elections. The census is the first step to deceive the international community about the sham election."

The regime began its "nationwide census" on October 1 amid ongoing clashes with resistance forces across the country.

In Arakan State, the regime could not conduct the census in 10 townships controlled by the Arakkha Army (AA) and in Maungdaw Township, where the two sides are fighting fiercely. It has only been able to conduct the census in Sittwe, Ann, Taungup, Kyaukphyu, Manaung and Gwa townships.

A young man from Arakan State said: "It is fair to say the junta's poll is no longer relevant to Arakan State. The United League of Arakan (ULA) has been installing its own administration in Arakan State, and the junta's elections under the 2008 Constitution have nothing to do with what's happening here."

The junta has lost control of more than 80 towns across Arakan, Shan, Kayin, Kachin and Kayah (Karenni) states, and Sagaing Region.

Although the junta claims it will hold elections after completing the census, political analysts argue that the ongoing conflicts taking place across the country makes it impossible to conduct a credible national election.